National Republican., 1887-05-18
Senator Reagan's Letter on the Inter
state Commerce Law.

Senator Reagan's Letter on the Ihter
state Commerce Law.
Senator Reagan, In answer to q request
from Commissioner Morrison, has written
letter upon the interstate commerce law.
Senator Reagan says:
You invite my attention to the proper inter-
probation of sectlon4 of that act, and ask the
question, "what are the circumstances or
special cases which will or do justify sus-
pension?' of the fourth section. l must au-
swer, with great Difference to the opinion of
the commission, that there are no circum.
stances or cases which will justify it in sus.
pending that section.
Senator Reagan further says:
1t was never suggested in the conference
committee where this section received its
final shape, or elsewhere that know of, that
under this language the commission might
suspend the section and adopt in its stead the
exception for the rule.
This statement is not in accordance with
what was said upon the floor Of the Senate
when the report Of the conference commit
tee was under consideration. On the 10th
of January Senator Cullom, who was ex-
planning the fourth section, in answer to an
inquiry of Senator Mitchell as to what
could be done when there was water COM
petition, said 1--WE quote from the Record):
"The section itself does provide that at such
a competing point, II the fact does exist,
the interstate commission shall have power
to give relief upon a showing Of the proper
state Of facts" Mr.. Hoar: "The power of
suspension is given in special case" Mr..
Cullom: "And, Of course, every case Of the
kind would be a special case II, in the judg-
ment OF the commission, 1t was deemed
necessary to relieve the railroad company at
that particular competing point from the
operation OF the law"
Senator Cullem repeated this language
again and again, making it even stronger,
and It is well known fact that the inter-
state commerce bill never could have passed
the Senate and become q law If the con-
structlon placed upon the fourth section.
and the proviso, by Senator Reagan, had
been considered by the Senate the proper
construction OF the words.
Senator Reagan continues through what
would make at least two columns OF the
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, to discuss the inter,
state commerce law from his standpoint,
and concludes his len gthy epistle thus:
have tried to show in this hasty way in
this and my former letters to you that:
!. The commission has no power to suspend
a law of Congress- and
2. III they had, as a matter of discretion, the
power TO do SO, 1t would be great wrong and
injury to the public, and to q large extent
would defeat the great and benehceu. pur-
pose Of Congress to protect the people against
wrong and oppression, and to subject these
corporations to the control and supervision OF
law as all other persons natural and artificial
are.
During all the years this great question was
before Congress the paramount issue was
whether the people of this country, through
the agency of Congress or the railroad corpo-
rations, should dictate the policy and control
the commercial interests of the American
people. The people at last triumphed in the
passage Of this important and fair and just law.
Ever since its passage the railroad corporations
have, through their officers, agents, lawyers,
and hired newspapers, been engaged In a most
extraordinary conspiracy to secure the nullif-
cation of one at least of its most important
provisions. Millions OF people with interests
involved of thousands of millions of dollars.
and with political interests far greater than
any money interests at stake, and with bated
breath are looking earnestly and anxiously to
see whether the commission is to be misled
and their rights and interests sacrificed or
whether the law is to be sustained and tn iii
recuniary and political rights preserved.
This last sentence is masterpiece OF
low demagogy seldom equaled, and shows
exactly the ground upon which Senator
Reagan stands and has stood for ten years
past In his efforts to secure the passage OF
his interstate commerce law. He has been
pandering to prejudice and at the same
time using every effort to excite 1t.
Without the slightest knowledge OF the
subject, Senator Reagan, as a member OF
the house, was the perfect exempllf-
cation Of the line which says, "Fools
rush in where angels fear to tread" He
assumed to possess all the learning of the
world upon the subject of transportation
and the needs Of the country, and insisted
upon law which bound the roads in chains
OF iron, and 1t was against his wish, against
his earnest protest and his vote, that the
Proviso which authorized the suspension oi
the fourth section became a part OF the
law.
The bill originally reported by Senator
Cullom had some Objectionable features, bu
in the main was good ono, looking to the
control of the roads. This bill was amended
in the Senate, and as passed was more OBJ
jectlonable than the Cullom bill. The
House or Reagan bill was combination OF
asinine stupidity and demagogy. TIE
two were put in conference, Senator Cu-
lom as chairman Of the committee IN
fortunately gave way, and the monstroslty
which became law was born in the com.
mittee room.
The manager Of one of the leading south
ern railways, a gentleman Of ripe experience
and excellent Judgment, said to repre-.
sentative of the NATIONAL REPUBLICAN
that the enforcement of the law for twelve
months would bankrupt the south. The
representatives Of nearly every interest in
the south have been before the commission
during its recent trip, and have been almost
unanimous In the expression of the opinion
that the fourth section should be suspended.